Handbag with inner pivotally aligned purses



Dec. 6, 1949 B. ROTH 2,496,651

HANDBAG WITH INNER PIVOTALLY ALIGNED PURSES Filed Jan. 6,- 1948 2Sheets-Sheet l l JNVENTOR, fie/fjamuz Roi/0 L ATTORNEY? Dec. 6, 1949ROTH 2,49%,651

.HANDBAG WITH INNER PIVOTALLY ALIGNED PURSES Filed Jan. e, 1948 2SheetsSheet 2 I INVENTOR. Ben 61mm Roih yam W 94m be kept separate.

Patented Dec. 6, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HANDBAG WITH INNERPIVOTALLY ALIGNED PURSES This invention relates to handbags, and moreparticularly to the inner purse construction of said bags.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved handbag having apair of individually openable inner purses which are mounted as apivotal unit and arranged to be compact and occupy a minimum of space inthe handbag and to provide for easy access to the interior of the bag,and wherein the purses are disposed in distinctly different and separatelocations in the handbag and constitute essentially distinct andseparate units even though connected with each other, thereby to enableeach purse to be readily independently opened and closed withoutinterference from the other pursaand to be readily distinguished fromthe other so as to greatly facilitate the selection of the desiredpurse. By this organization one inner purse may be conveniently used tocarry bills, and the other to conveniently carry loose change, resultingin a very handy and advantageous arrangement.

Pivotally mounted inner purses have found wide acceptance in the past,due to the fact that the advantageous high mounting of the purse};

enables it to be readily opened and closed since such mounting maintainsthe purse in an accessible position, and due to the fact that thepivotal mounting does not adversely affect the accessibility of thecontents of the handbag.

Attempts have been made to provide a plurality of pivo-tally mountedinner purses whereby one purse may be used for bills and the other usedfor loose change, or whereby the purses may be used for other differentarticles which are to However, the structure by which this wasaccomplished resulted in the inner purses being secured close togetherand broadside to each other whereby they both constituted in eifect asingle unit and lost their individuality, so to speak, so that it wasnot especially easy or convenient at all times to select, and to open orclose the desired one of the purses. Prior to this invention it was feltto be necessary to have each purse extend completely across the interiorspace" of the handbag in order that the purses would be securely andproperly supported and held, and therefore the arrangement involvedlocating the purses broadside and substantially coextensive with eachother, and required that the openings of the purses be locatedside-by-side closely adjacent each other. Thus it was not particularlyeasy, especially to the point of being almost automatie, to select thedesired purse at any time, ..and also it was not feasible, for example,to provide purses having the same type of closing devices such as hingedframes which snapped closed and opened.

In an attempt to overcome these disadvantages it was proposed to mounttwo inner purses of the hinged frame type in end-to-end relationshipagainst one inner wall of the handbag, the purses being carried by oneof the main frame members of the bag. However, by doing this, theadvantages of the pivotal mounting of the purses were lost, and thesymmetry of the bag when closed was lost; also, the purses were not asconvenient to the reach.

According to the present invention the dimculties and disadvantages setforth above are overcome by the: provision of a novel inner pursestructure or frame so arranged that a pair of inner purses may bemounted end-to-end and substantially in alignment with each other andmay both be carried on an inner frame which is pivotally mounted on thecenter portion of the main frame of the bag, preferably on the trunnionsor pintles for the main frame.

Thus the purses may be disposed in distinctly separate locations,functioning as separate units even though connected with each other, andeach purse need not be unduly large and extend entirely across theinterior space defined by the main handbag section.

The inner frame or structure by which this is accomplished may comprisea pair of separate frame member each having generally a U-shape, withone leg of each member connected together, the members lying generallyin a single common plane. The frame members may be secured together withboth in an upright position, or with one in an inverted position, orboth may be in inverted position.

According to the organization provided, the inner purses may be both ofthe snap-clasp hinged-frame type, or of the Zipper type, or folded flaptype, one only of the purses may be of the type having a-Zipperfastener, or of the type having folded flaps secured in place by snapfasteners, or of the billfold type. In each instance, the inner pursesare disposed so as to be in distinctly separate locations, apart fromeach other, even though interconnected and therefore the desired one ofthe purses may be very easily and readily selected without likelihood ofconfusion and without difficulty, and operation of any one purse, toopen it or close it In a specific form of the invention illustratedherein, the inner frame structure has two frame units, one including ahinged member cooperable with a complementary hinged member to providethe well-known snap-clasp type of hinged-frame purse. The other frameunit is rigidly connected to the one unit, and is in the form of aU-shaped channel strip which is pinched or clamped over the edges of aninner purse or pocket assembly having a Zipper fastener. In thisconstruction, the Zipper-operated purse is provided with at least onerelatively stiff side wall which contributes to the rigidity of theU-shaped channel member, and the overall rigidity of the entire innerframe structure. The other or chans nel frame unit may carry a billfoldtype of purse, or a folded flap type of purse, and if desired a pocketor slide may be secured to the stiff side of the purse structure tocarry an identification card or the like.

In all of the above organizations both of the inner purses are mountedin end-to-end relationship regardless of the type of closing means orspecific purse structure, and are pivotally carried within the handbagand swingable as a unit to enable the contents of the handbag to be 212of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view like Fig. 2 but in perspective, andshowing another embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 4. is an elevational view of the novel inner frame structureprovided by the invention.

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view of a handbag made in accordance withthe invention and illustrating still another embodiment thereof.

Fig. 6 is a view like Fig. 5 but illustrating yet another embodiment ofthe. invention.

Fig. if is a vertical sectional view in perspective of a "handbagillustratingstill another embodiment of the invention, and

Fig. 8 is a'view like Fig. 7 but illustrating a further embodiment ofthe invention.

Referring to Figs 1 and 2, the improved handbag of this inventioncomprises a main bag section It having sides. II and i2, and ends I3 and[:4. The main bag section Ill is secured to an outer frame comprisingcooperable complementary frame members l5 and lit which are of U- shape,the said members, having hinge eyes I51: and Mia at their ends,receivingpintles H whereby the frame members are pivotally or hinged lyconnected together. The, frame members l5 and I6 may have any usualtime, Of snap-clasp means, Such as the coonerable clsnparts. I51) andwe.

According to the present invention a novel and improved innerpursestructure 58 is provided for d sposi on wi hin h main; ba ection 1.0 andfor mounting on the outer frame members l5 and 16, the said structureincluding inner pockets or purses E9 and which. are mounted in end-toredand aligned relat o s a d a e p votall carried as a unit to extendacross the interior space of the handbag. The purses l9 and 20 aredisposed in distinctly dlfierent and separate locati n in ehandb e, as sclearly shown in- Fi 1 and 2, and therefore constitute essentiallyseparate and distinct :units even though they are connected with eachother at adjacent ends. As a consequence, the purses l9 and 20 may bevery easily and readily distinguished from each other, and one or theother may be selected without chance of confusion and practicallyautomatically, and each purse may be opened and closed separately fromthe other and without the slightest degree of interference beingexperienced. Moreover, since the two purses are pivotally movable as aunit they may be easily swung to one side or the other of the handbag toprovide easy access to the main bag section. An extremely advantageousstructure is thereby provided, and the purse IQ for example may be usedto hold bills and the purse 20 used to hold loose change, or vice versa,or the purses may be used to hold other different articles which it isdesired to keep separate.

In accomplishing the above desirable and advantageous location andmounting of the purses l9 and 20 a novel inner frame structure 21 isprovided by the invention, Figs. 1 and 4, the said frame structurecomprising a pair of U-shaped frame members 22 and 23 having legs 24 and25, which are rigidly connected together, as by short posts 26, thelatter being preferably of spherical shape as shown .to enhance theappearance of the frame structure.

The U-shaped member 22 may be of the type commonly employed in thesnap-clasp hingedirame type of purse, and may be associated with acooperable or complementary U-shaped frame member 21, thereby to providea suitable support and operating device for the purse 20. The framemembers 22 and 21 may \have the usual form of clasp device 28, and maybe secured together at one pair of corresponding ends by the pintle Hand at the other pair of corresponding ends by a pintle 29.

The U-shaped frame member 23 is preferably of channel cross section asshown in Fig. 3, and is secured to the frame member 22 in uprightposition with respect to the member 22, which latter may be consideredas in an inverted position as seen in Fig. 4. The channel frame member23 is rigidly secured to the remaining one of the pintles l1, and thismay be accomplished by providing an angular extension Ha 0n the pintle,which is welded or otherwise secured to the member 23.

By this construction the frame members 22 and 23 together constitute arigid unitary frame structure which is pivotally carried by the. outerframe members I5 and 16 of the handbag and which may be swung about a.pivotal axis coincidental with the hinge axis of the outer framemembers.

The purse I9 may be of the Zipper type, having a Zipper fastener 30 andmay be secured to the channel frame 23 by having its edge portionsinserted in the space between the sides of the channel, whereupon thechannel sides may be forced together to pinch or clamp the edge portionsof the, purse. The purse is. may be formed of two side walls 3i and 32,and preferabl the wall 3| is made relatively stiff whereby it reinforcesthe frame-member 23.

Thus the entire inner purse structure if! constitutes a relatively rigidunit by virtue of the rigid connecting; posts 26. together with theinflexible frame members- 22 and 23 plus the stiff purse wall, 3!, andthe. entire structure may be readily swung about the pintles- 11 towardone side; or the; other of the; main bag section t0,

thereby enabling articles carried in the bag section to be easily andquickly removed.

Another embodiment of the invention is shown in Fig. 3, wherein partssimilar to those shown and described in connection with Figs. 1 and 2have been given like characters. In Fig. 3 the channel frame member 23carries a purse 33 which has a boxlike shape, and which may be opened orclosed at its top by a Zipper fastener 34. The shape of the purse 33 issuch that it may readily accommodate a pack of cigarettes, box ofmatches etc., and thus a desirable combination may be had whereby moneymay be carried in the purse 20 and smokers articles in the purse 33, toprovide for a maximum of convenience for the user.

Another embodiment of the invention is shown in Fig. 5. In this figurethe purse [9 may have secured to the stiff side 3| thereof a frame orpocket 35 which is open at the top and which may hold an identificationcard 36.

Still another embodiment of the invention is shown in Fig. 6, whereinthe snap-clasp hingedframe purse 29 is connected with an other snapclasphinged-frame purse 36. For this arrangement the frame member 22 of thepurse 29 is connected with a companion frame member 37, both membersbeing U -shaped and rigidly secured together by the spherical connectorposts 26. The frame member 31 has a cooperable or complementary framemember (not shown) to which it is pivotally secured by pintles 38 and39, the pintle 39 also forming the hinge pin for the frame members 15and 16 of the main bag section. The frame of the purse 36 has the usualsnap-clasp 49 as shown.

Fig. 7 illustrates another embodiment of the invention wherein theZipper purse l9 has secured to its rigid side 3| a billfold 4| havingportions 42 and 43 folded on and overlying one another, the saidportions having a snap button fastener 46 whereby they may be held infolded relationship or released and spread apart.

Yet another embodiment of the invention is shown in Fig. 8 wherein thechannel frame 23 carries a purse 45 having a folding flap 46. The purse45 may have a frame or pocket 48 which is open at the top to enable anidentification card 49 to be inserted therein.

It will be seen that in each of the embodiments of the inventionillustrated herein the inner purses are disposed in end-to-endrelationship and in alignment with each other, and are carried indistinct and separate locations within the main bag section if] of thehandbag, and the said inner purses are pivotally carried and swingableas a unit to provide for easy access to the interior of the main bagsection. Also, although the purses are connected rigidly together attheir adjacent ends, one or the other of them may be easily and quicklyselected and opened or closed without interference from the associatedpurse. Both of the inner purses are thus mounted in the handbag so as tobe readily accessible, and are pivotally carried in a high position inthe bag and centrally thereof whereby they do not disturb or impair thesymmetry of the main bag section when the latter is closed.

Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of thisinvention and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

I claim:

1. In a handbag, a main bag section forming an interior space, said bagsection having a mouth which may be opened to reveal the bag interior; apair of inner purses having individual frame members connected inend-to-end relation; means connected with the main bag section formounting the inner purses in end-to-end aligned relationship within thesaid interior space, said means enabling the purses to be pivotallyswung as a unit about an axis extending substantially midway between thesides of the bag section when the mouth thereof is opened, thereby toprovide for easy access to the contents of the main bag section; andmeans including frame members cooperable with said first-mentioned innerpurse frame members and first-named means, to provide snap-clasphinged-frame opening and closing devices for both of said purses.

2. In a handbag, a main bag section forming an interior space, said bagsection having a month which may be opened to reveal the bag interior; apair of inner purses having individual frame members connected inend-to-end relation; means connected with the main bag section formounting the inner purses in end-to-end aligned relationshipsubstantially midway between the sides of said mouth within the saidinterior space, said means enabling the purses to be pivotally swung asa unit about an axis extending substantially midway between the sides ofthe bag section when the mouth thereof is opened, thereby to provide foreasy access to the contents of the main bag section; and separateclosing means for each purse, at least one including a frame memberpivoted to the inner frame to provide a snap-clasp hinged-frame openingand closing device for one of said purses.

3. In a frame for a handbag comprising a pair of U-shaped outer framemembers having the ends of the legs of the U pivoted together to form arectangular opening when the frame members are moved about their pivots;the improvement of providing an inner frame member disposed within theouter frame members and comprising a pair of individual U-shaped purseframes in end-to-end relation, said purse frames having the adjacentlegs of the frames rigidly connected together and the other legs of eachframe carrying a pivot aligned with and connected to the pivot for theouter frames whereby a rigid inner frame swingable on the pivotal axisfor the outer frame members is provided.

BENJAMIN ROTH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,279,915 Rogers Sept. 24, 19181,422,724 Levy July 11, 1922 1,939,657 Brosseau Dec. 19, 1933 2,161,491Wachs et al. June 6, 1939 2,182,563 Landberg Dec. 5, 1939 FOREIGNPATENTS Number Country Date 196,241 Great Britain July 19, 1923 543,277Great Britain Feb. 17, 1942 Certificate of Correction Patent No.2,490,651 7 December 6, 1940 BENJAMIN ROTH It is hereby certified thaterror appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patentrequiring correction as follows:

Column 6, line 8, before the word within insert substantially midwaybetween the sides of said mouth;

and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correctiontherein that the same may conform to the record of the case in thePatent Office.

Signed and sealed this 4th day of April, A. D. 1950.

THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Assistant Oommz'asz'mr of Patenh.

